Album

The Definitive Collection

Album

The Definitive Collection

Rachid Taha has become a drunken institution, an aging punk who tilts at his Algerian brethren, the world music establishment and rock 'n' rollers equally -- all while making them dance. The guy exudes toughness: it drips off his venomous cover of "Rock the Casbah," pervades "Nokta" and even informs "Habina (We Love)." And no wonder -- he almost single-handedly rescued rai from its ticky-tacky synthesizers and reminded us that dance music could skewer racism. Meet France's native Algerian son, and learn why he looms so large over pop and world music.

About This Album

Rachid Taha has become a drunken institution, an aging punk who tilts at his Algerian brethren, the world music establishment and rock 'n' rollers equally -- all while making them dance. The guy exudes toughness: it drips off his venomous cover of "Rock the Casbah," pervades "Nokta" and even informs "Habina (We Love)." And no wonder -- he almost single-handedly rescued rai from its ticky-tacky synthesizers and reminded us that dance music could skewer racism. Meet France's native Algerian son, and learn why he looms so large over pop and world music.

About This Album

Rachid Taha has become a drunken institution, an aging punk who tilts at his Algerian brethren, the world music establishment and rock 'n' rollers equally -- all while making them dance. The guy exudes toughness: it drips off his venomous cover of "Rock the Casbah," pervades "Nokta" and even informs "Habina (We Love)." And no wonder -- he almost single-handedly rescued rai from its ticky-tacky synthesizers and reminded us that dance music could skewer racism. Meet France's native Algerian son, and learn why he looms so large over pop and world music.